Abstract
Research has demonstrated sex-associated differences in physical activity and its benefits on cognition in older adults. The present study explored differential associations between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and executive function, which is known to decline with aging. N = 53 older adults without cognitive impairment (M = 73.19 years, SD = 6.53) wore accelerometers (Actigraph GT3X+) during 7 consecutive days. Activity intensity was categorized as light, moderate, or vigorous based on Freedson Adult Vector Magnitude cutpoints. Participants completed a battery of executive function tests: Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Verbal Fluency, Trail Making Test, and Stroop Color-Word Test. A cognitive composite score was created using confirmatory factor analysis. Women had a higher mean MVPA (4.57%) than men (2.64%, t (19.04) = -2.49, p = .022). However, executive function performance did not differ by sex (t (26.20) = 1.67, p =.107). The interaction between sex and time in MVPA did not predict performance on executive function, adjusting for age and education. Older age was the only significant predictor of poorer executive function (β = -0.038, p = .003). The current sample had limited engagement in MVPA (range 0.18-10.87%). These findings suggest that the amount of engagement in MVPA in a free-living environment may not be sufficient to demonstrate sex-associated differences in executive function performance. Future studies should explore executive function performance with other intensity levels and examine other areas of cognition.
Highlights
GSA 2019 Annual Scientific Meeting utilization differences by sex, race/ethnicity, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, or coronary artery disease, but adults aged ≥60 years had almost twice the odds of ≥4 visits (OR=1.97; 95% CI: 1.18, 3.33; p=0.01) compared to younger patients
Exercise prescription programs with personalized health coaching may be useful for older adult patients receiving care at a federally-qualified health center
Heart failure contributes to functional limitation in older adults, which is associated with rehospitalization and poorer health
Summary
GSA 2019 Annual Scientific Meeting utilization differences by sex, race/ethnicity, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, or coronary artery disease, but adults aged ≥60 years had almost twice the odds of ≥4 visits (OR=1.97; 95% CI: 1.18, 3.33; p=0.01) compared to younger patients. This study tests the activity ♢ conditioning ♢ function segment of the model using 59 older adults aged 61-92 (Mage = 76 at Time 1) who participated in 2 in-person assessments of physical health, gait, and function, spaced 3 years apart. Hypotheses were 1) a lower activity level at Time 1 would predict greater decline in physical function across the 3-year span, and 2) that this effect would be mediated by changes in physical conditioning.
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